FAQs

Voters

Voters schedules

What are the information included in the voters’ lists?

The lists shall include the voter’s name, personal number and his regular place of residence.

Is it permissible to list a voter in more than one constituency?

No, the voter can’t be listed in more than one constituency.

How can I verify that my name is in the voters’ lists?

Voters can check their names by:
1. Visiting the Supervisory Committee of his constituency. Noting that Supervisory Committee's working hours are from 5 - 9 pm.
2. Visiting the election’s website www.vote.bh

What are the required documents that should be presented to the Supervisory Committee to ensure that the voter name is in the lists if the ID card is not available?

The voter shall refer to the supervisory committee of his constituency or visits the election’s website www.vote.bh.

How to object to the voters’ lists (request to include or delete a name or edit the address in the voters’ lists)?

Any person, whose name is not included in the voters' lists, or if there is an error in the data concerning his registration therein, may request the Supervisory Committee to include his name or to correct the details concerning his registration. Anyone who is no longer subject to any restrictions after drawing up the schedule may apply for inclusion of his name or to correct the details concerning his registration.
Any voter whose name is registered in one of the voters’ schedules , may request to have the name of a voter whose name was neglected without a justifiable cause or to strike off the name of another person who was unlawfully included or to correct the details concerning the registration (amending the address), in respect of the constituency's schedules in which the applicant's name is enrolled.
The objection requests can be submitted through the Elections website www.vote.bh.
All this during the period of presentation of voters' lists from the 27th of September 2018 until the 3rd of October 2018.

Is it permissible to apply an objection against the voters’ lists from another voter?

Yes, if the voter is listed in the voters’ lists and is from the same constituency, during the period of presenting the voters’ lists from the 27th of September 2018 until the 3rd of October 2018.
The objection requests shall be applied to the Supervisory Committee or through the elections website www.vote.bh, noting that through the elections website only request regarding the inclusion of a name or amending an address will be accepted, whereas objections regarding deletion of a name shall be only through the Committee.

Where can I apply for changing or correcting my address? And what are the required documents?

The request to change an address should be submitted to the Supervisory Committee of the voter's constituency. Documents required differs up according to the type of residence, and can be found on the elections website www.vote.bh.
The objections should be submitted from the 27th of September 2018 until the 3rd of October 2018.

If the voter's name is not included in the voters’ lists and the period of objection is over, can he vote? Can he check and verify his name on the voting day?

Please check the Elections website www.vote.bh again to verify that your name is in the voters' lists. In case your name has not been listed, you are not entitled to vote as the period of presentation of the voters’ lists is over on the 3rd of October 2018 and no amendments can be made.

Is it permissible to object in the voters’ lists after the end of the period of presenting the lists? If the citizen could not object because of travel, working conditions or otherwise.

No, after the end of the period on the 3rd of October 2018 the voters’ lists become final and no amendments can be made, and there are no exceptions.

What is the procedure followed if the name of the voter is not in the voters’ lists and the period of objection is over?

The voter is noted entitled to vote.

Does anyone have the right to question about voter choice of candidates, whether one candidate or the other parties?

Any person shall have the right to refrain from disclosing information concerning his right to vote for any party whatsoever. This right has been guaranteed by the Constitution.

Voters Lists

When will the voters’ lists be published/released?

The voters’ lists will be published from the 27th of September 2018 till the 3rd of October 2018.

Voters Qualifications

Who is eligible for electing members of the Council of Representatives?

The voter should have reached 20 years of age on the day of elections.

The voter should Enjoy full legal capacity.

The voter should be a regular resident of the electoral constituency he wants to register in according to the ID card. In case of his residence abroad, his last place of residence in the Kingdom of Bahrain shall be his electoral constituency. If he has no residence in the Kingdom, then his family's place of residence shall be considered his constituency.

The voter should not have been sentenced in a felony, or a crime breaching honor or integrity unless rehabilitated.

The voter should not have been sentenced to imprisonment in any of the electoral crimes provided in the Legislative Decree No. (14) of 2002 with respect to Exercising Political Rights, unless the sentence was suspended or he was rehabilitated.

Legislative Decree No. (14) of 2002 with respect to Exercising Political Rights, as amended, can be viewed through the website of the Legislation & Legal Opinion Commission www.legalaffairs.gov.bh

What are the conditions for electing members of municipal councils?

The voter should have reached 20 years of age on the day of elections.

The voter should enjoy full legal capacity

The voter should be a regular resident of the constituency he wants to register in according to the ID card. In case of his residence abroad, his last place of residence in the Kingdom of Bahrain shall be his constituency. If he has no residence in the Kingdom, then his family's place of residence shall be considered his constituency

The voter should not have been sentenced in a felony, or a crime breaching honor or integrity unless rehabilitated.

The voter should not have been sentenced to imprisonment in any of the electoral crimes provided in Legislative Decree No. (3) of 2002 with respect to the system of electing members of municipal councils, unless the sentence was suspended or he was rehabilitated.

Any GCC citizen upon whom the above mentioned conditions apply can participate in the election of Municipal Council members as long as he obtains a permanent residential address in the Kingdom of Bahrain, this also apply to others who own constructed properties or land plots in the Kingdom.

Legislative Decree No. (3) of 2002 with respect to the system of electing members of municipal councils, As amended, can be viewed on the website of Legislation & Legal Opinion Commissionwww.legalaffairs.gov.bh.

What is the electoral domicile and how can it be verified?

The electoral domicile, is the place where the citizen has a regular residence, according to what is stated in the ID card. If he is living abroad, his last residence in the Kingdom of Bahrain shall be his electoral home domicile. If he has no place of residence in the Kingdom, then his family’s residence shall be his electoral domicile; and is verified according to what is stated in the ID card.

Is the voter entitled to vote in the 2nd round of election if he will be 20 years old, although he was not 20 years old in the first round of election?

The voters’ lists include the names of voters who are entitled to vote until the day of election, which is Saturday the 24th of November 2018

A voter who will complete 20 years of age before the Election Day, and his name is not on the voters’ lists. Can his name be added to the voters’ lists before the Election Day?

Voters' lists include the names of voters who complete 20 years of age on Election Day. In the absence of the name on the lists, he can object to the supervisory committee in his constituency or through the elections website www.vote.bh, before the end of the voters' lists presentation period from the 27th of September 2018 to the 3rd of October 2018. The supervisory committee working hours are from (5-9) pm.

Can a special needs citizen vote if his name was in the voters’ lists? (Noting that the voter also can’t read but he knows the pictures of voters).

He is entitled to vote if he enjoys full legal capacity and his name is in the voters’ list.
Voters who can’t read or write, blind or with special needs and cannot place a check on the voting card themselves, shall tell the chairman of the committee their decision verbally in the presence of one of the two committee members, and the committee's chairman shall mark down the choice of the voter, and place it in the voting box.
Voting centers will be equipped with special facilities for special needs people, such as wheelchairs, and special track and cabins.

Is a down syndrome citizen who can read and write and has graduated from the Institute of people with special needs eligible for voting?

He is entitled to vote if he enjoys full legal capacity and his name is listed in the voters’ list. If he is does not enjoy full legal capacity and his name is not in the voters’ list, he is not entitled to vote.

Is the foreigner entitle to vote, knowing that he is applying for Bahraini citizenship?

Voting for the Council of Representatives is only for those holding a Bahraini nationality.
As for the voting in the municipal councils, citizens of the GCC countries are entitled to vote if they have a permanent residence in the Kingdom of Bahrain, whereas other foreigners are also entitled to vote if they own a constructed property or a land plot in the Kingdom of Bahrain in addition to other conditions prescribed by law.